Poinsettia plant named ‘PER7—13’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER7_13’, characterized by its relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit; very dark green-colored leaves; large inflorescences with golden yellow-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER7_13’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PER7_13’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having large inflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1409’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,850. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘PER1409’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Sep. 6, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER7_13’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER7_13’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and upright to somewhat outwardly branching habit.     -   4. Very dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about         November 17 in Southern California.     -   6. Large inflorescences with golden yellow-colored flower         bracts.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘PER1409’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact than plants of         ‘PER1409’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER1409’ differ in fully         expanded flower bract color as plants of ‘PER1409’ have light         yellow and peach-colored flower bracts with dark pink-colored         flecks and spots.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER10606’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,351. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PER10606’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of         ‘PER10606’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more upright than plants of         ‘PER10606’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER10606’ differed in         flower bract color as plants of ‘PER10606’ had creamy         white-colored flower bracts.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about ten days later         than plants of ‘PER10606’ when grown under natural season         conditions in Southern California.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER975’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,882. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PER975’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of ‘PER975’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘PER975’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER975’ differed in flower         bract color as plants of ‘PER975’ had light pink to pale         yellow-colored flower bracts.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about four days earlier         than plants of ‘PER975’ when grown under natural season         conditions in Southern California.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side to top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER7_13’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER7_13’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in quart (plants for the photographs) and 16.5-cm containers (plants used for the description) in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 19 and 25 weeks old for the quart and 16.5-cm containers, respectively, when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER7_13’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1409’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent     application Ser. No. 14/545,486. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at night             temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about             27° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, uniform, upright             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; large             inflorescences with numerous flower bracts positioned above             the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 33 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after             pinching; upright branching habit. Length: About 28 cm.             Diameter: Thick, about 7.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.5             cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Moderately             glossy. Color: More green than 146A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 10.25 cm. Width: About 7.75 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Mostly obtuse with truncate or cuneate             tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire. Aspect: Outwardly to             slightly upright; keeled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; prominent venation on lower surface.             Luster, upper surface: Slightly glossy. Luster, lower             surface: Matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Much             darker green than 147A; venation, close to 146A to 146B.             Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147A; venation, close to 146B. Leaf petioles: Length:             About 3.8 cm to 4.7 cm. Diameter: Thick, about 4 mm to 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are             compound corymbs of cyathia with numerous colored flower             bracts subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly             positioned above the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             typically flower on or about November 17 in Southern             California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short             photoperiod conditions, plants flower about seven to eight             weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about four to six weeks under             interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia             not persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 29 cm.         -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous,             about 33. Length, largest bracts: About 11.25 cm. Width,             largest bracts: About 9.75 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Mostly obtuse with truncate tendencies.             Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to slightly             upright; keeled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: Ground color, darker             green than 147A; irregular and random sectors, slightly more             yellow than 163D. Developing or transitional bracts, lower             surface: Ground color, close to 146A; irregular and random             sectors, close to 153C and 16B. Fully expanded bracts, upper             surface: Close to between N163D and 23A; occasionally tinged             with close to 25A; color does not fade with development.             Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to between 20A             and 21B; color does not fade with development. Bract             petioles: Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: Thick about 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to N144A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 12 to 15. Length: About             9 mm. Width: About 4.5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144A to             144B.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 6 mm.             Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Roughly elliptical. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to             17A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to slightly             outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             12 to 15. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 145C. Anther shape: Round to oval; bi-lobed. Anther             length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Amount             of pollen: Scarce to none. Pollen color: Close to 15A.             Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One; tri-parted. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate, six-parted,             recurved. Stigma color: Close to 186A. Style length: About             6.5 mm. Style color: Close to 144B to 144C. Ovary color:             Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     29° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER7_13’ as illustrated and described. 